The Toronto Wolfpack concluded their inaugural season with a come from behind victory against Doncaster. Toronto trailed by eight points at the half time break but in a determined effort finished with a 12 point victory in front of a new club record crowd at Lamport Stadium. Winger Jonny Pownall led the way for the home team with a hat trick.
Doncaster brought a higher level of intensity in the early exchanges, repelling numerous Wolfpack raids on their try line. Their immense defensive effort was rewarded by drawing first blood in the contest through a try to backrower Jordan Lane. Lane burst onto a short ball and cut past some slow Toronto defence. The Wolfpack hit back through a try in the corner to Jonny Pownall, who received a long pass to evade Doncaster’s compressed defensive line.
Doncaster’s captain and hooker, Kyle Kesik, scooted over from dummy half to extend the visitor’s lead to eight points. The visitors held the eight point lead at half time.
With automatic promotion and the Kingstone Press League One championship secure, Toronto could have succumbed to a hungrier Doncaster outfit. But the halftime speech from coach Paul Rowley seemed to focus the competition winners as they scored four unanswered tries to secure victory.
Blake Wallace scored the first try of the second half by barging over Doncaster’s goal line defence. Jonny Pownall scored soon after following a line break by fullback Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e. A botched Wolfpack backline move froze the defensive line before the right hand centre and wing combination of Craig Hall and Jonny Pownall beat their opposite numbers two on two with Pownall ultimately touching down to complete his hat trick. Left winger Liam Kay powered through Doncaster’s line on a short side move to complete the evening’s scoring.
The Wolfpack finished their season on a high note and now look ahead to the 2018 campaign in the Kingstone Press Championship.
Toronto Wolfpack 26 Tries: Pownall (15, 56, 66), Wallace (49), Kay (68)
Goals: Hall 3/5
Doncaster 14 Tries: Lane (11), Kesik (22)
Goals: Miller 3/3
